Return of the White Queen
by SSU-UCI-Mom
Summary: This is my first fan fic. It is a one parter focusing on Liz's return to Killarney.


DISCLAIMER: I don't own any of the characters, except for William. They all belong to McLeod's Daughters and Channel Nine.

Return of the White Queen

By SSU-UCI-Mom

"Yes, the papers just arrived by courier. Thank you so much for all your help, William. Yes, I'll be sure to let you know how it goes." She put the phone back in its cradle and let out a sigh of relief. The first step was done and now she was about to move into her future by going back to the past. Liz Ryan looked around her hotel suite for what she hoped would be the last time. She picked up what was left of her belongings and went down to her car to begin her journey.

She turned off the road and drove up to the gate. The tree-lined drive looked the same to her even after all these years. Tess was right, it did look like something out of a Jane Austen novel or at least that is what she hoped all those years ago when she and Harry were planning their new home, their new life. Back then it was important to Harry and Liz herself that their life would be lived on a grand scale. She couldn't really remember why it was so important but it was. Looking back in hindsight, perhaps it was because they both had something to prove to themselves as well as to their parents--that they were successful individuals and worthy to be loved. Liz shook her head. Funny that both Harry and Liz had such big secrets that they kept hidden from each other. If only they had trusted each other enough to confide their darkest feelings; their love and life might have been richer than the things their money could buy. At least it seemed that their sons had learned that lesson before it was too late.

Liz drove up to the house and stopped the car. Everything was so quiet and no one appeared to be home. "Guess I should have called before coming." Liz thought as she walked up to the door. She turned the handle and walked inside. "Of course," she smiled, "No need to lock the doors in the country." She looked around the room. It was different yet familiar. No traces of Sandra in the room, which was good. The furnishings were different but the family pictures were back on the mantel and on the shelves. After everything that had happened to the Ryans, it was nice to know that family was still important and on display for everyone to see. She walked over to the bookcase and picked up the picture of Alex and Harry. "Don't worry, Harry. I will make sure that Killarney remains in the Ryan family. We worked too hard to build it up and I won't let Bryce destroy our family again." Liz looked around and then walked out onto the verandah to look at her gardens. The fragrance of her roses still filled the air. She wondered who was tending the flowers these days. She had thought of waiting on the verandah for someone to come home but then she decided to really go back in time. She went to her car and started it up. "Wonder what it looks like."

Liz stopped the car out in front of the Homestead. She walked out and looked around the outside. She laughed to think that their family lived in this cottage while they were building Killarney's main house. As she walked, she could hear Alex and Nick laughing and running around the yard. "Dad, Mum. This is all ours? It's great! When do we get to ride the horses? Can we go exploring now?" Liz laughed to remember how much the boys flourished in the country.

This move had been a big step for them. Harry wanted a place that he could leave as a legacy for his children and their grandchildren. Once he built up his trucking company, he was able to sell it at a great profit. This property was for them to work together. Harry had been so good to her over the years and was such a good father that she couldn't deny him anything back then. Of course, he wanted her to be comfortable and built the house just for her. All the special building treatments were to make her feel comfortable in the country, especially the spa bathroom. Harry never wanted Liz to feel that he couldn't provide for her and the boys. She loved the bathroom. It was her special place where she could pamper herself amongst the male household. But she had to admit that living in the Homestead that first year brought them closer. They all worked together and played together as a family. She knew even back then that she had made the right decision--Harry over Bryce. Harry adored her and really had been a wonderful father--at least before the accident. She shook her head as she thought about the rodeo accident and then all those years later when Alex's paternity was revealed. How she could have let Bryce into Alex's life still baffled her. She really had hoped he had changed but he was still the same selfish, egoistical man that turned his back on her and their baby all those years ago. She could not allow Bryce to continue worming his way into Alex's life and Killarney. She loved her family too much and he was not an honorable man. Perhaps that is why he only had daughters--perhaps that is why God chose to leave him with no one to carry on the Redstaff name.

Liz walked into the Homestead and looked around, taking a mental inventory of its current state. She would definitely need to make some upgrades to make the place inhabitable again. Of course the boys had no problem living there but it really didn't have the necessities that a woman would want to make it comfortable. Funny how she still thought of them as her "boys".

Liz then decided to make the trek up to Harry's grave. Alex certainly picked the right spot. She remembered the first time Harry brought her to Killarney; this was the spot where he convinced her that they needed to make this move. It was one of the best decisions they made together and it afforded them a fresh start for their whole family. It had been obvious that Alex and Nick really needed lots of room to be boys. The city life just didn't give them the freedom and open spaces that they thrived on once they moved to the country.

"Thanks, Harry. You were right. Killarney was our home and our legacy to pass on to our kids and their grandkids. I'm sorry that I allowed my past to come into that picture but thanks to you, I have been able to correct that situation." Liz was so glad that Harry's generous divorce settlement afforded the opportunity to best Bryce at his own game. The look on his face when it was revealed that Liz was the silent investor in his land development deal was priceless. Liz thought about what Harry would have thought if he had been there to see her plan unfold. Liz had never been privy to any of Harry's past manipulations and usually heard about them after the fact. Liz sighed, "I truthfully don't know how you did it, Harry, This conspiracy thing is a lot more intense when you're in the middle of it."

Liz lowered herself to sit on the grass beside Harry's headstone so she could feel closer to him and gently placed her hand along the top. She continued on in a whisper, "Bryce is definitely out of the picture now. Killarney will be safely back in the Ryan hands. And Harry, I've come home. I remember our talk just before Nick's wedding and it was such a relief to receive your forgiveness. I'm sorry I was not as kind when Alex told me of your secret. We really messed up there. We could have had so much more if we had been honest with each other back at the beginning. But I have to say, we must have done something right, because Nick and Alex are wonderful men and so loving with their families. Harry, I forgive you for judging me harshly while battling your own hidden demons. I only wish you were still here at Killarney with me. We would have been quite the grandparents together."

Liz drove back to the main house. She walked into the living room again and placed a box on the mantel. "This should be the perfect wedding gift for Alex and Stevie." Funny how Stevie became the perfect mate for Alex after Claire's death. She had held a special place in her heart for Stevie after Alex told her about Stevie's comments at Nick's wedding. The complete reconciliation took a while, especially after Liz's reaction to Harry's family secret, but Liz finally realized that her family meant more to her than all the wealth and amenities the city could provide.

Liz decided to walk upstairs to relax. She opened the door to the spa bath…she decided to take advantage of the privacy. She turned on the water and poured the bubble bath into the tub. Then she immersed herself into the water and relaxed backed. "First thing I need to do is upgrade the Homestead bathroom. I may be moving back to the bush but I definitely need my spa bath."

Alex and Stevie were dusty and tired when they returned home. Stevie called for the bathroom first and raced upstairs before Alex could even react. He decided to let her win this time and walked into the living room to relax a bit before going up to join her. As he sat down on the couch, the box on the mantle caught his eye. "I don't remember that being there before." Alex walked over to check it out. As he started to lift the lid, he heard Stevie's voice calling him. Alex moved over to the stairs and started walking up. "Hey, Stevie, do you know anything about a box on the mantel?" He was still looking at the box as he walked into the spa bath rather quickly. He looked up and then instantly shut his eyes, "Geez, ladies. Why don't you warn a guy if you're indecent!"

Liz was just wrapping a towel around herself as Stevie walked back into the bathroom. Both ladies started laughing at Alex as his face turned a bright red and Stevie said, "That's what I was trying to tell you when I called downstairs. We have company."

Liz walked out of the bathroom and went into the guest room to finish getting dressed. She smiled and thought now nice it was to be finally home again.

Alex backed out of the bathroom and remembered the box in his hands. He finished removing the lid and looked at the contents. Pulling the papers out of the box, Alex started to read them. His eyes widened as he realized the impact of what he was reading and looked inside to see a note at the bottom. In elegant cursive, Alex read _All my blessings and love to you both. Mum_.

Alex closed his eyes and smiled to himself, "She's back."


End file.
